Talks between Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations have adjourned to allow the negotiators to brief their party leaders.

South African President Thabo Mbeki, who is mediating in the talks, told a news conference in Pretoria yesterday that the negotiations had adjourned, but will resume in a few days.

Reports from South Africa said negotiators from Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations were scheduled to fly home.

"They are adjourning for a number of days so that they could go back to Harare to consult with their principals and then come back," said Mr Mbeki, adding that talks would resume by the end of the week.

"It’s going very well. In the Memorandum of Understanding they said they will try to conclude negotiations within two weeks . . . They are very determined to keep to that commitment."

MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai flew into Johannesburg on Monday, but his party said the visit had nothing to do with the talks.

The talks, which are being held at a secret location in the Pretoria area, are meant to be wrapped up within a fortnight of the signing of the initial framework agreement.

Part of the agreement signed by the three parties last week was an undertaking to respect a media blackout during the course of the talks.

Acting MDC-T spokesman Tapiwa Mashakada said the negotiators would be returning to Harare to brief their principals and the talks were expected to resume soon.

He dismissed as false claims by some online new agencies and the international media that there had been a deadlock, which saw the talks collapsing.

"Negotiators have taken a break. It is just an ordinary recess," said Mashakada, who is also the formation’s deputy secretary-general.

"That is not true (that talks have collapsed), negotiators just took a break and they would further be consulting their principals during the break.

"Parties to the negotiations agreed at the signing of the MoU that negotiators would need to brief their parties after a few days of talks."

Mashakada said Tsvangirai had flown to South Africa, but was quick to point out that his presence in that country had nothing to do with the ongoing talks.

He said Tsvangirai would be back in time to get a briefing from his negotiating team.

Mashakada said MDC-T remained committed to the dialogue.

"We are firmly committed to the talks. We want to see them succeed and reach a timeous conclusion," he said.

Spokesman for MDC, Edwin Mushoriwa said the talks had been going on well and there had not been any deadlock.

"People need to understand that when three parties are negotiating, obviously they would come up with different position papers and that does not constitute a deadlock. These are just position papers where they would be saying we would give in to this and compromise on that, and should there be any differences, negotiators would just return to their principals," said Mushoriwa.

"It is normal in any negotiations for parties to bring different positions. We would want to reinforce that we are happy with the way negotiations have been going."

Last night Zanu-PF media sub-committee member Cde Chris Mutsvangwa said he could not comment on the latest developments in South Africa as the party was waiting to be briefed by its representatives in the talks.

As the talks continue, the South African government and party leadership have criticised the West’s stance on Zimbabwe, particularly the imposition of new illegal sanctions and the double standards in dealing with Harare.

President Mbeki has spoken strongly against the sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union.

Recently, ANC president Jacob Zuma told the Sunday Vision of Uganda in an interview that the West exaggerates the problems in Zimbabwe.

He said there have been problems on the continent but the West does not raise the alarm as it has done with regard to Zimbabwe.

Zuma said millions of people died in Angola, Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and northern Uganda, but the West kept silent.

He said the British and the Americans were hypocrites who practise double standards because former Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo, Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki and other African leaders assumed power following discredited elections but nobody said there must be regime change.

"In Kenya, thousands of people died, more than those who have died in Zimbabwe, but nobody said Kibaki must go," Zuma was quoted as saying.

Zuma said in view of these scenarios "you cannot prescribe for the Zimbabweans and tell them who must be their president".

The ANC leader also made it clear that the Zimbabwe land problem has its roots in the unfulfilled promises made by Britain — the former coloniser — at Lancaster House.

"There are specific agreements that were reached which were not honoured (by Britain) thereafter," he said. — AFP-Herald Reporters.

In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Cde Mumbengegwi left the country for Teheran on Sunday.

The conference, which began yesterday, was preceded by a senior officials’ meeting that ended on Monday.

It is expected to review progress in the implementation of the Plan of Action adopted at the 14th conference of ministers held in Havana, Cuba, in September 2006.

The ministers are expected to discuss globalisation, regional and sub-regional politics.

They will also look into development, social and human rights issues. The ministry said discussion on global issues follows the realisation that the processes of globalisation and trade liberalisation had produced uneven benefits among and within States.

It also comes at a time when the global economy has been characterised by slow and lopsided growth and instability.

"The conference will therefore address the concern that in its present form, globalisation is perpetuating or even increasing the marginalisation of developing countries," the ministry said.

On regional and sub-regional politics, the ministers will examine progress in the Middle East, African and Latin America regions.

They will also discuss specific topics on development, social and human rights issues including international migration, development, energy supply, fundamental freedoms and humanitarian assistance.

Cde Mumbengegwi is expected back home on Saturday.

ILO supports Zim dialogue

Herald Reporter

THE International Labour Organisation will continue supporting Zimbabwe to enhance the social dialogue process which is central in turning around the economy, the body’s regional director Professor Tayo Fashoyin has said.

He was speaking on Monday night at his farewell cocktail hosted by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and the National Social Security Authority in Harare.

Prof Fashoyin, who has been in the country since 1996, was recently promoted to head the Social Dialogue, Labour Law, Labour Administration and Sectoral Activities Department at the ILO Headquarters in Geneva.

"I deserve to be part of the unfolding events. However, I don’t feel any loss. I will continue to serve Zimbabwe. I will see to it that the ILO continues to support Zimbabwe to take social dialogue to greater heights," said Prof Fashoyin.

He commended the Government for its commitment to social dialogue.

He said ILO would continue to support the country with experts in areas such as social protection, small and medium development and in promoting labour market governance.

Prof Fashoyin said the organisation had been instrumental in shaping negotiations between the Government, business and labour.

"The ILO has played a key role in the process of social dialogue in Zimbabwe. I am happy with the process, which is there."

ILO has co-sponsored a number of workshops to assist the social dialogue process, which saw Government and business taking a major step towards stabilising the economy after signing three protocols.

The partners signed the protocols ? the Price and Incomes Stabilisation, Restoration of Production Viability and Mobilisation of Foreign Currency in June last year ? in an effort to work together towards resolving the challenges bedeviling the economy.

Prof Fashoyin however said there was need to speed up the process of setting up a secretariat as envisaged under the founding principles of the Tripartite Negotiating Forum.

He said the secretariat would help in the implementation of policies agreed upon by the social partners.

The Secretary for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Mr Lancaster Museka said Prof Fashoyin contributed significantly towards the sustenance of social dialogue in Zimbabwe.

"While others wish to believe that there is no hope for social dialogue in this country, you have actually made known some international best practices drawn from our framework.

"Your fervent belief in the power and influence of social dialogue as a vehicle to build national consensus and to address social and economic affairs is one that will continue to inspire our process as we move forward," Mr Museka said.

Government, he said, would remain committed to upholding tripartism and steer the social dialogue process forward.

"In so doing we look forward to continued support and collaboration with the ILO." Mr Museka also commended Prof Fashoyin for being professional and being able to make a positive impact.

"You have crossed the barriers of prejudice, at a time when our Government was unfairly demonised at the international Labour conference for alleged wrongdoing vis-a-vis the application of international labour standards," he said.

He said the ILO also assisted the ministry with facilitating training of officers on social security and occupational health as well as holding capacity building workshops.

British, Americans hypocrites: Zuma

AFP

ANC president Jacob Zuma has accused the British and Ame-ricans of being hypocrites who exaggerate the problems in Zimbabwe.

In a recent interview with Sunday Vision of Uganda, Zuma said there have been problems on the continent, but the West does not raise the alarm as it has done with regard to Zimbabwe.

He said millions of people died in Angola, Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and northern Uganda, but the West kept silent.

The British and the Americans were hypocrites who practise double standards because former Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo, Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki and other African leaders assumed power following discredited elections, but nobody said there must be regime change, said Zuma.

"In Kenya, thousands of people died, more than those who have died in Zimbabwe, but nobody said Kibaki must go," Zuma was quoted as saying.

Zuma said in view of these scenarios "you cannot prescribe for the Zimbabweans and tell them who must be their president".

The ANC leader also made it clear that Zimbabwe’s land problem has its roots in the unfulfilled promises made by Britain — the former coloniser — at Lancaster House.

"There are specific agreements that were reached which were not honoured (by Britain) thereafter," he said. — AFP.

Govt queries exclusion of US, UK firms from sanctions list

Herald Reporter

GOVERNMENT has questioned the motive behind the exclusion of American and British-owned companies from the expanded sanctions list despite accusations that they were aiding the State through their continued operations in Zimbabwe.

The US last week placed some Zimbabwean companies, both private and State-owned, on the revised sanctions list accusing them of keeping the Government afloat while some British corporations defied calls for them to suspend local operations.

Secretary for Information and Publicity Cde George Charamba said the West wanted to freeze economic activities in Zimbabwe while waiting for a "new Government" of their choice.

"Their companies are in place while they are re-ranging the political deck. Their investments are no longer politically secure and they want a situation of stasis," he said.

Cde Charamba noted that the exclusion of the US and British corporations was despite the fact that some of them supplied the State with its daily needs.

"Unilever is here moulding soap tablets for State House. Why is it not on the American sanctions list if they are so concerned with companies doing business with (President) Mugabe? Caltex is here powering the presidential limousine, why is it not on sanctions list?"

Cde Charamba said the British and Americans were concerned by the re-emergence of the Sino-Russia political power as evidenced by the two countries’ decision to veto a Western-backed resolution to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe at the UN Security Council early this month.

"The Americans fear what they regard as the predatory Sino-Russia capital, which is stalking the globe seeking business deals to sign," he said.

Cde Charamba said the inclusion of some parastatals on the expanded sanctions list was also meant to disable the Government’s Look East Policy by blunting its investment vehicles.

The Government was studying various situations of countries under the US economic embargo like Cuba for a solution to challenges being faced in the country.

Countries under American sanctions such as Cuba and Iran avoid trading in the volatile US currency in preference of such stable currencies like the euro while others have deliberately devalued it against their currencies.

The US department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets last Friday placed 17 companies among them the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation, the Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company, Agricultural Development Bank of Zimbabwe and the Industrial Development Corporation of Zimbabwe under sanctions.

It also designated the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe, Zimre Holdings Limited, ZB Financial Holdings Limited and its major subsidiaries — ZB Holdings Limited, Intermarket Holdings Limited and Scotfin Limited.

Yesterday the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries described the move by the US as very unfortunate.

"As CZI we have never supported sanctions of any nature. We are an organisation that believes in dialogue, diplomacy and constructive engagement. Sanctions have repercussions on children, mothers, the elderly, the vulnerable and we do not think it would be in the interest of the international community to jeopardise the lives of men in the street," said CZI president Mr Callisto Jokonya.

"We have no say in politics in Zimbabwe and we feel this is very unfortunate."

Mr Jokonya said business was looking forward to the ongoing talks between Zanu-PF and the MDC formations and urged the nation not to be distracted "from what we consider to be the only solution to our nation’s problems".

"The negotiations would yield the intended objective of peace and joy in Zimbabwe," he said.

Pan-African News Wire

The Pan-African News Wire is an international electronic press service designed to foster intelligent discussion on the affairs of African people throughout the continent and the world. The press agency was founded in January of 1998 and has published thousands of articles and dispatches in newspapers, magazines, journals, research reports, blogs and websites throughout the world.
The PANW represents the only daily international news source on pan-african and global affairs.
PANW editor Abayomi Azikiwe is often solicited by various newspaper, radio and television stations for comment and analysis on local, national and world affairs. He serves as a political analyst for Press TV and RT worldwide satellite television news networks as well as other international media in the areas of African and world affairs. He has appeared on numerous television and radio networks including Al Jazeera, CCTV, BBC, NPR, Radio Netherlands, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, South Africa Radio 786, Belgian Pirate Radio, TVC Nigeria and others.